Construction Manager At-Risk (CMAR) Services for the Palmdale Ditch Conversion Project

The Palmdale Water District is soliciting proposals from qualified general contractors to provide Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) services for the Palmdale Ditch Conversion Project. The scope includes developing Guaranteed Maximum Prices (GMP) for pre-construction services and performing all construction services at risk. The project involves converting the predominantly open-earthen Palmdale Ditch, originally constructed in the 1880s, into a buried 48-inch reinforced concrete or high-density polyethylene pipeline while increasing hydraulic capacity from 20 cubic feet per second (cfs) to approximately 60 cfs.

The Palmdale Ditch is located in the city of Palmdale and unincorporated Los Angeles County, spanning approximately 8.5 miles and currently conveying raw water from Littlerock Reservoir to Lake Palmdale for treatment and potable water use. Approximately 30 percent of the Ditch is currently lined with concrete or uses culverts and tunnels, while 70 percent remains an unlined, open earthen channel. Previous conversion efforts in 1995 and 2010 replaced approximately 5,700 feet total of the original ditch. A 2021 feasibility study concluded that the proposed full conversion could achieve water savings of approximately 1,450 acre-feet per year. PWD has retained Hazen and Sawyer to develop the project design, which is currently at 90% completion. The project has received grant funding from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), with DWR funding expiring March 31, 2026, and USBR funding expiring December 31, 2026.

Key dates include Q&A deadline of February 3, 2025, and proposal submission deadline of February 12, 2025 at 11:00 PM. Pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for December 19, 2024 at 6:00 PM. Proposers must comply with the Community Workforce Agreement (CWA) effective February 20, 2020, and must list all subcontractors and provide non-collusion affidavits. Technical specifications and drawings at 60% design level have been provided along with PWD's standard specifications for water distribution system construction and approved materials list.

Proposals must include detailed pre-construction and construction cost estimates, schedules, safety plans, and quality assurance procedures. Evaluation will consider contractor qualifications, experience with similar projects, proposed team and subcontractors, constructability analysis, cost estimates, schedule feasibility, and community benefits.